‘This is the Buddha’s firm and unshakeable awareness that watches over and protects the mind.’ Ajahn Chah

And which are the three factors of the donor? There is the case where the donor, before giving, is glad; while giving, his/her mind is bright and clear; and after giving is gratified. These are the three factors of the donor. —the Dana Sutta, translated by Thanissaro...

‘You take something that no longer exists and put it into your mind and compare it with what comes up. If you have a shadow of something, can you hold onto that shadow? All of your perceptions, as they arise like shadows, have nothing for you to hold on to.’ Gien...

‘The mind can be focused on one thing — on the body, the breath, or whatever — without there being any obstacles like distraction or dullness.’ Geshe Tashi Tsering

‘Fools think they harm themselves by putting others first.’ Everyday Buddhism

‘Awareness does not belong to anyone; it is not ‘my’ awareness or ‘your’ awareness. It is vast, boundless, and ever-present, beyond the categories of self and other.’ Everyday Buddhism

‘It might be pure meditation or concentration (shamatha), but without the ethical base, there will be no substance to it.’ Geshe Tashi Tsering

‘Manjushri: If I had set out for enlightenment, then I would wish to fully know it. But I do not strive after enlightenment, because enlightenment is just the same thing as this Manjushri, the Crown Prince.’ Prajnaparamita

The danger is that insights, once grasped, can easily harden into words.

The food we eat doesn’t arrive on our plates in isolation. Every bite is the result of the contributions of countless beings, the care of nature, and the conditions that make it possible. I remember the first time I allowed myself to consider this while eating,...